Zermatt

Arriving in the car-free village of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn is a journey back 150 years to the golden age of mountaineering, grand hotels and adventure. Europe’s most modern and impressive lift system delivers life-changing glacier runs and the best on-slope dining in the world. Ski from Switzerland into Cervinia, Italy for lunch or get a heli drop onto Monte Rosa, Europe’s second highest mountain. Zermatt’s off-piste skiing is among the least known—and arguably the best—in the Alps. The classic hotels of Zermatt are the pinnacle of living large in the Alps. Access to challenging, archetypal ski descents, dining, culture, history and nightlife combine in Zermatt for an all-time mountain lifestyle adventure. There is something for everyone in Zermatt, with skiing that will appeal to all ability levels.

Fly into Geneva, Milan, or Zurich international airports from any major American hub. You’ll be met by your EpicQuest guides for the 2 ½ hour (3 ½ hrs from Milan or Zurich) private van ride to Täsch, where you take the train for the last 10-minutes into Zermatt. Or, if you wish, we’ll arrange a first-class ticket on the train right from the Airport. Itineraries typically leave the U.S. on Friday, arriving Saturday morning, and departing Europe the following Sunday.

Zermatt has one of the most impressive, and ambitious lift systems in the world. From the 100 year-old Gornergrat railway, a train that takes 40 minutes to reach 3089m, to the Klein Matterhorn tramway, the access is unparalleled. Massive glacier runs like the Theodul Gletscher lie just off-piste, which makes our excellent guides imperative to experience the backcountry potential safely. Other options include short ski tours to the Schwartztor Glacier beneath the Breithorn, or a long run into Italy’s Champoluc Valley. And the heliskiing in the area is Switzerland’s best, with the highest drop in the Alps on Monte Rosa, or the traditional last descent on the Haute Route from the summit of the Tête de Valpelline, which ends under the North Face of the Matterhorn.

The Eastern end of the Pennine Alps receive less snow typically than the Western end. But with 4600m Monte Rosa and more than 20 other 4000m peaks in the Zermatt Valley, weather and winds can be volatile. Most storms come from a Southern system, often depositing more snow on the Italian side of the border. But when a northern storm comes in, it can dump perfect powder with little wind-effect. With massive elevation change (over 2000m) serviced by lifts, temps can be very cold at the top of the Klein Matterhorn tram, Europe’s highest at 3883m, even when it’s sunny.

The season starts in early January and ends in late April. Typically, the early winter is colder and stormy, while March and April can still deliver dumps, followed by stable periods of high-pressure, which is optimal for ski-touring.